Large valuables should be in an anti-theft bag with you / locked down in the boot (do this before driving / somewhere else, not when you are at your parking lot).

C. MISCELLANEOUS

1. Fake ATM at Jaffa Gate

Jaffa Gate. Source: Andrey Bogdanov / Flickr

How it works:

At the Jaffa Gate, you will find that the ATM located at the Currency Exchange Office is not functional.

The shop staff will then helpfully offer to process a transaction using a hand–held machine, based on whatever amount you want to withdraw and he claims to only charge you a few dollars as commission.

Should you agree, he will ask you to enter your PIN, though you will not be able to see any amount on the machine.

Even when the receipt is passed to you, there will not be any amount on there.

However, if you were to go online or check with your bank, you will find that you have actually paid at least 20% more than if you simply headed to a functional ATM which you can find further down Jaffa Gate.

What to do:

Do not use this ATM.

Also, avoid using ATMs at dark, secluded areas. Use only at controlled environments such as in banks.

2. Rigged ATMs

Signs of a rigged ATM

How it works:

Generally, ATMs can be rigged in two ways.

First, the card skimmer and pinhole camera / keypad overlay set up:

A card skimmer is installed over the card slot to capture your card details.

The pinhole camera / keypad overlay is used to capture your PIN.

Second, the card trap:

The card slot can be rigged with cheap tools to trap your card.

When your card is stuck, someone will come over and tell you that if you retype your PIN, your card will be unblocked.

Obviously, your card will still be stuck, but the scammer will now have seen your PIN.

Should you head into the bank / somewhere to seek help, the scammer will unblock your card and escape.

What to do:

Avoid using ATMs at dark, secluded areas. Use only at controlled environments such as in banks.

Scan the area for suspicious looking characters, look out for red flags of a rigged ATM and cover your PIN when typing it in.